Investing in diversification to maximize return on investment

Investing in diversification to maximize return on investment

Jon Walz, Stapleton, NE Producer

The Walz family uses many strategies on their farm, including adjusting seeding rates to align with variations in soil organic matter/water holding capacity, using cover crops, grazing, and raising crops for forage, for commodity harvest and for seed. Focus on residue management and getting animals into fields has increased soil organic matter, decreased weed pressure and has contributed to savings related to inputs/water use.

"Someone told me once you grow 40-50 crops in a lifetime. As a young producer, I want to learn about all the new technologies available and interact with and learn from other producers. Taking a long-term perspective on using water from the Ogallala, I think about how I’m fortunate to farm alongside my father and grandfather, and I think about my two sons. If we get this figured out, they’ll have a better chance to farm with me.
”- Jon Walz

This website is based upon work that is supported by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, U.S. Department of Agriculture, under award number 2016-68007-25066, “Sustaining agriculture through adaptive management to preserve the Ogallala aquifer under a changing climate."